304 



Mr. Studds. I am not a scientist, but the technology involved in 

 the particular reactor fueling that submarine is different from the 

 current generation of submarines, is that correct? 



Mr. Meyers. That is right, that was a sodium cooled reactor. As 

 far as I know, we did not build more of those. That was one of a 

 kind. 



Mr. Studds. The question of the future disposal of the fuel, of the 

 powerplant of the current generation of nuclear submarines is an 

 altogether different question. 



Mr. Meyers. Let us make one thing clear. We are only talking 

 about the reactor pressure vessel. No fuel was disposed of; just an 

 empty shell. With regard to the reactor fuel, it is taken out for 

 processing purposes and goes to our plant in Idaho. It is processed 

 there to extract the remaining uranium which is again made into 

 fuel. 



Mr. Studds. I gather that we do have a question. This article 

 considers scuttling old Navy subs. 



Mr. Meyers. There is a question of what we are going to do in 

 the future with respect to some of these things. The plans for 

 disposal of Navy reactors will be going through a complete review. 

 There will be no precipitous actions taken. It is not going to be a 

 case of it just happening. 



Mr. Studds. That was not my question. 



Am I correct that the question of the disposal of the reactors on 

 these submarines as they become decommissioned is an open ques- 

 tion of which one of the alternatives being considered is burial at 

 sea? 



Mr. Meyers. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Studds. That is correct? 



Mr. Meyers. That is correct. 



Mr. Studds. Now, do these reactors constitute low level or high 

 level waste? 



Mr. Meyers. Well, we are talking only about irradiated pressure 

 vessels in any case, but whether these constitute high level or low 

 level waste depends upon definitions. 



Mr. Studds. I know. That is why I asked. 



Mr. Meyers. And the definitions of low level waste and high 

 level waste are imprecise at this time. 



The only definitions for high level radioactive waste that exist in 

 the Code of Federal Regulations appears in 10 CFR, part 50, appen- 

 dix F, and 40 CFR 227. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 10 

 CFR part 50, appendix F, defines high level waste as the effluents 

 from a reprocessing plant. The Environmental Protection Agency 

 in 40 CFR, part 227, defines high level radioactive waste — for pur- 

 poses of EPA responsibilities under the Marine Protection and 

 Sanctuaries Act — as irradiated fuel from nuclear power reactors 

 and effluents from a reprocessing plant. 



Mr. Studds. So under the existing regulations promulgated pur- 

 suant to the Act, those would be considered low level? 



Mr. Meyers. Again, they certainly are not the effluents of a 

 reprocessing plant. 



One of the things that NRC is doing right now is trying to come 

 to grips with defining more precisely the various categories of 



